The Rise Of Australasia

Arthur found the request made by Manuel II to be quite troublesome.

It wasn't that Arthur still held a grudge over the war with Portugal. Considering that Australasia had won the war comprehensively, if there were any grudges, they should be on the part of the Portuguese.

The main issue was that Arthur wasn't sure whether Manuel possessed the means and capability to rule Portugal.

If they were to help Manuel ascend to the throne, only for him to be overthrown by the angry Portuguese people again, then that would be a big joke.

It was like a political investment, where both parties would profit from a victory, but a failure would also have a certain impact on Arthur.

Although the government would firmly carry out his orders, this kind of action, merely to restore other countries' royal families, was clearly a bit too selfish.

If the country couldn't gain enough benefits, Arthur wouldn't proceed—even if it required just a thought of his.

However, as a country that had once signed the "European Royal Joint Declaration," other monarchical countries indeed had reasons to assist the Portuguese Royal Family.

Whether Manuel could offer enough to motivate Arthur to support his restoration to the throne would depend on what price Manuel was willing to pay.

Although he was a member of the same family, Arthur would definitely not help Manuel for nothing.

After all, what's at stake here was Australasia's military strength and international influence, areas in which Arthur had to be cautious.

Of course, Arthur also took Manuel's request as a test to assess William, Peter, and George—the three youngsters.

The three of them had different ideas.

George, as the youngest brother, had a relatively simple view. He believed that if they could help Manuel ascend to the throne, the payoff for Australasia would be sufficient, and the deal would be worth it.

William and Peter, however, had more considerations. Peter stated that if Manuel could pay a sufficient price, helping him restore his throne would not be out of the question.

William's thoughts were even more profound, as he focused on whether a restored Kingdom of Portugal would become an ally of Australasia, as well as the possibility of it siding with Britain.

After all, the relationship between Portugal and Britain was quite good, and it was hard to guarantee that the Kingdom of Portugal wouldn't fall into the arms of the British Empire.

As one of the first countries to join the Pound-Australian Dollar system, Britain's influence over Portugal doesn't need further explanation.

If Arthur were to painstakingly support Manuel's return to the throne, only to bring Portugal closer to Britain, it would be a loss for Australasia.

Although the three youngsters had differing opinions, it was already quite commendable that they could offer their own views based on their understanding. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

After all, their political acumen was still immature, and it was impressive that they could think this far.

Of course, since they were all destined to become kings, Arthur reiterated the importance of the relationship between the king and the government.

Firstly, the interests of the royal family and the government are different. One cannot endanger the interests of the government for the sake of the royal family, nor can you harm the royal family's interests for the government's sake.

How to control the two is very important for a king. An absolute monarchy is doomed not to last forever, which means that the royal family and the government are bound to part ways eventually.

Whether it's California or the United Kingdom of the West Coast, or the current Australasia, royal power must not be too unrestrained; it also requires careful consideration of the country and the people's views.

To secure one's throne, it is crucial to understand that the opinion of the people is most important.

Sometimes, for the sake of the people, some interests can be sacrificed, as the slight advantage is not as important as one's own rule.

Lost benefits can be earned again, but if the trust of the people is lost, it can't be made up for with material benefits.

The support of a European kingdom was quite important to Arthur, which firmed up his resolve to support Manuel's restoration.

Of course, Arthur knew well that a feeble Manuel was unreliable. To stabilize Portugal's rule and make the country useful, another cooperative partner had to be found.

After much thought, the only Portuguese faction worth allying with was the severely suppressed and dwindling Democratic Party.

The leader of the Portuguese Democratic Party was Morini Antonio Sala, a pitiable man who had the Portuguese people's hearts but was overthrown quickly after less than 200 days in power.

Of course, it wasn't really Morini's fault. Given Portugal's turbulent politics, maintaining rule was difficult without sufficient military power, even with widespread popular support.

In stark contrast to Morini was Antonio Salazar, an unpopular figure who nonetheless remained an irreplaceable President of the Portuguese Republic due to his control over substantial military power.

So why did Arthur choose to cooperate with Morini?

Firstly, Morini was reasonably capable, and with Arthur's support, stabilizing Portugal's situation was not a problem.

Of course, this was also to prevent Manuel II from squandering his newly restored throne with rash decisions.

Moreover, Morini could act as a check on Manuel, preventing the Portuguese Kingdom that Arthur worked hard to support from tilting toward other countries, especially Britain, which has always had close ties with Portugal.